Conveyer system



l8 Sheets-Sheet l J. W. WHALEY CONVEYER SYSTEM June 10, 1952 Filed Feb.11, 1947 J. W. WHALEY CONVEYER SYSTEM June 10, 1952 .18 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Feb. 1, 1947 m Ema-=22 i 6 mm? a rum/M01? d. w. WHYKLEY Fwd PPN-mwmis Sheets-Sheet 4 J. W. WHALEY CONVEYER SYSTEM June 10, 1952 FiledFeb. 11, 1947 OWN J. w. WHALEY CONVEYER SYSTEM June 10, 1952 18Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 11, 1947 @QN NQN IIIMNHH q H 3 June 10, 1952.1; w. WHALEY CONVEYER' SYSTEM 18 Sheets-Shet a Filed Feb. 11, 1947 J.W. WHALEY CONVEYER SYSTEM June 10, 1952 18 Sheets-Sheet 7 J.) .W.Wi-KELEY Filed Feb; 11, 1947 J- W. WHALEY CONVEYER SYSTEM June 10, 195218 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Feb. 11, 1947 xWN June 10, 1952 w, wHALEY2,600,038

CONVEYER SYSTEM 0 Filed Feb. 11, 1947 18 SheeCs-Shget 1O J. W. WHALEYCONVEYER SYSTEM June 10, 1952 18 Sheets-Sheet 11 0w. WHRLEY m U N FiledFeb. 11, 1947 June 10, 1952 J w, WHALEY 2,600,038

CONVEYER SYSTEM Filed Feb. 11, 1947 18 Sheets-Sheet 12 HEXLEY J. W.WHALEY CONVEYER SYSTEM June 10, 1952 18 Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed Feb. 11,1947 MON o. w. HAJJEY J. W. -WHALEY CONVEYER SYSTEM June 10, 1952 18Sheets-Sheet l4 Filed Feb. 11, 1947 gwvcwvfm W; HJ XLEY OON J. W. WHALEYCONVEYER SYSTEM June 10, 1952 18 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed Feb. 11, 1947 NONgrwc/wtm O. W WHJHIJEY PDH J. w. WHALEY 2,600,038

June 10, 1952 CONVEYER SYSTEM 18 Sheets-Sheet 16 Filed Feb. 11, 1947 uw. Wi-l BLEY Hul Il Hllllu n 0 June 10, 195 Y J. w. WHALEY 2,600,038

CONVEYER SYSTEM 'JM S Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECONVEYER SYSTEM v John W. Whaley, Richmond, Va., assignor to CrawfordManufacturing 00., Inc., Richmond Va., a. corporation of Virginia 7Application February 11, 1947, Serial No. 727,797

18 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in conveyor systems andespecially to a system for conveying work receptacles or containers toand from and between successive work stationslocated on difierent floorsof a building.

One object of the invention is to provide a conveyor mechanism by whichwork containers or receptacles stored on one floor of a building can betransported to predetermined work stations on the next lower floor andfrom the latter to successive predetermined work stations on said nextlower floor after which they are conveyed to additional work stations onthe second next lower fioor and then to a storage space for completedwork on the bottom floor of the building while the containers, which arethen empty, are returned by automatic elevating means from said secondnext lower fioor to the upper or first mentioned floor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel arrangement forthe storage of work containers adjacent the point at which saidcontainers, loaded with work, are initially placed upon the conveyormechanism for transfer or transportation to the desired work stations.

Still another object is to provide temporary reservoirs or storage areasintermediate said work stations whereby work carrying containers, whosedestinations are points beyond such intermediate storage spaces, can beaccumulated in said intermediate storage areas in the event conditionsat the work stations which are their destinations are such that, at themoment, additional work containers cannot be accommodated.

In connection with these original and intermediate storage or reservoirareas, the invention also contemplates the provision of signals forindicating thenecessity of additional work containers being supplied toany given station. More specifically, this phase of the inventioncontemplates the provision of means for storing a plurality of workcontainers at each work station combined with means for rendering theabove mentioned signal operative when the operator at a station removesthe last deposited container from its original point of deposit at thestation for the purpose of performing the contemplated operations on thepieces of work in that particular container. In other words, a pluralityof work containers are deposited at each station and when the lastdeposited work container is moved from the position at which it wasdeposited at the station by the conveyor mechanism a signal willberendered operative .to denote the necessity a novel arrangement fortransferring work containers from the conveyor mechanism proper to thepoints or work stations to which they are to be delivered, thesetransfer means being of such a nature that any containerwill betransferred or kicked off by the transfer mechanism at 'a predeterminedwork station.

With theseand other objects in view,'the i'n-- 0 vention consists incertain novel details of con struction and combinations and arrangementsof parts, all as will hereinafter be more fully described and the novelfeatures thereof particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in whichthe I present conveyor mechanism orsystem as designed for the. transportation ofwork from the fourth floorof a building to work stationson the third and second floors,respectively, of the building from which point containers for the workare returned to the fourth floor and the finished work is packaged andtransferred to the first floor for storage or shipment Figure 1 is aplan View illustrating more '01-" less diagrammatically that portion ofthe conveyor system where the containers for the work are firstdeposited on the conveyor mechanism for transferto means for loweringthem to the next lower floor, this view also showing diagrammaticallythe elevating meansby which empty containers are returned from thesecond floor'oi the building to the upper floor to be used again; Fig. 2is a vertical view of that portion of the conveyor system illustrated inFig. 1, the floor of the building being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; V

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of one work containers;

Fig. 5 isva top plan view, somewhat reduced, of the work container;

or the Fig. '6 is an enlarged detail view of a container Fig. is ahorizontal sectionalwie'w on the:

line Ill-10hr Fig-9f Fig. 11 is a view taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 9illustrating the runway of the conveyor system at the point where emptywork containers-:1;

enter the elevator shaft shown in Fi 9;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional v iew 'on thelline 12-12 of Fig 11;

Fig. 13 is a detail sectional View on the line 13-13 of Fig. 11;

Figs. 14, 14 taken together illustrate more .or

less diagrammatically a multiplicity of work sta tions on the thirdfloor ofthe building in conjunction with endless traveling-conveyors bywhichwoili containers deliveredto said conveyors from erburth n brertransferredto the predetermined" stations; or from station to station,

1 to g eases; workstations-y Fi fuirilia'ry" reservoirs or" storagespace interg. 15 is a detailseetional view'of=a braking devmerorretarding"movementoithe receptacles as thefiie'scen'd "from "the thirdto the second Fig-"'16 is a'top'planview ofthe endsoftwoendlessoriveyoifsillustrating the arrangement for chafn'gintaiii'er carrijfon" said conveyors:

Fig. *i'Z-is a do all seotionalivieivbn the line 11-11 rg-signe Figi18is a planview; partly broken away; illustratin gthe direction of travelof the work conof'fja work corlftainen'fronithe-endlessconveyortothfcontainersupportingplatform or; theworkstation;togetherwithmeans for rendering a, sig-- neilfoperative'intheabsen'ceoia work container at tliepoint at' yvhioh s'aid containersare -de-' posited" frohi the conveyor onto the container platform ofsaid stationj liig'flil i- 'i s iafdetailsectional view' on line a tr Fi18-;

anfindiyiuuarwork station with a work container thereon g 9"is2ave1ftical sectionalview ion the line' 9' of'l fi'gfm'illustratingthe-return ramp of Fig 2d 'isa'vertical view illustrating diagram matall'yfthe" relative" positions of the trip memhere or a series of workflstation's which are adapte'clfto" cooperate with the work" containertrip 'pi'ns"for transferring containers from the endless conveyor to apredetermined work sta 21 is a sectional view'ontheline' 2 1 -21 of 11518;

Fig. 22 is adiagrammatically illustration of the signalcirciiits'ilsedfofdnoting the presence or'absence of thedesirednumb'ef'bf'work containers at a given work station? Figs,-23, 23,jointly, area plan view i1lustrat-. ing diag-rammatioally :-the conveyorarrangementby which workcontainers delivered thereto on the second floorof the -building-are transferred oni'u'nways'=to work finishingstationswhere :the finlshed w'drk is packaged and-the empty con terriers arestarted ontheir return movement to the upifief' floi 'bf the building;

Fig-3 24 is a bott'om 'plan view of an end portiiiii ofbne of th runwaysShbWnin FigsUZS; 23%; u

Fig. 25 is a detail sectional view on the line 25-25 of Fig. 23

Fig. 26 is a sectional view on the line 26-48 of Fig. 25;

Fig. 27 is a sectional View on the line 21-4! of Fig. 23

Fig. 28 is a side elevational view, partly in section; illustrating themeci'lanisnuion;- lowering work containers trom the third fioor to thesec- 0nd floor of the conveyor system;

Fig. 29 is a sectional view on the line 29-49 of Fig-.38 ;-r

Fig. 30is a plan View showing diagrammatically the'rmethodof conveyingpackaged finished 'wortrtothe first 'orlowest floor of the buildingwhichffonconvenience, is usually the point at whichazthezpackagedr.workis stored;

Fig. 31 is an elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 30;

Fig. 32 is a diagrammatical illustration of the electrical conneotionsiorcoperating.1the; elevator illustrated in Fig. and .by;"hichrthenworle re r ceptacles aredowered from the; upper orrfourthfloor to theJthird floor I. and;

Fig. 33 is a similar view .of thB ElBQlQ f 'Q A-F W- nections for .the'elevator shown: in Fig.- 9 and by whichthe.'empty'receptacles arereturnedlto the. upper or .tourthzfloorr;- i

As previously indicatedthe particular-3 design; a "of multi-floorconyeyornsystem selected-for. ,the purposes" of the 1 presentillustration is adapted 1 for the transportation-hf work containers; andthe work articles. betweengithe :fioors .p-ofaa -four. storybuilding,:orz between four: Efloors; ot a tap-re. tory building; and'referring'1- to: Figsiel to}, thelayout :ofzthe :fourth orl1pnermost:;fl09 is 'illus trated .asoonsistingpia work tabled-30 onwhich, for. instance; fabrics: are out. into suitableshape forfabricating automobile seat covers; This worker cutting table 1 Stylelocated-along a length of runway -Hi1;avhichrextends:downwardly from 1the: shaft 132 afor; the elevator; (to Joe.-descr-ibedlater)whichxreturns empty work containers to the. upper floor-iromaone; of the ;-lower. floors of, f the building. The containers: onEthisyunway 1 3 1 arevmoved by,'gravity ;along;the .pontion s 1 3 and 133 'of :theirunway towhat; will bevtermed a storage platform-orrunway134:, {it being uncler stood-that --these= portions 1131; 13-3:and-13.4.. constitute a continuous inclined runway;. 'as; betterillustrated=in.-Fig-.-r2. The storage runway 13i 1 actually {constitutesone-half ofa dual runway-,- the other half 10f ,the'latterbeing .-in dica ted-, at; 1 135, at which Ipoint .pi eces-of,-yvork-.are loaded-inthecontainers-r The --dual runwayylM 135,- is

inclined longitudinally toward the shaft l3fi-pfor the elevator by.whiehithewheeled work .con-. tainers; indicated at- 13?, are loweredtothe next lowenor. thirdrfioorsof.thebuilding.. As shown. in Fig. 3,.thisso-calleddual runwayponstituted. by the portionsirl a l; I is.so..constructed that the two sections. .1 341, I ,1 35,;are oppositedly,.in-, clined downwardlylwith respect. to the longitudi nal center ofsaid dual runway. ,Thfat is, as the containersfilled withpiecesofworkmove to the portion 13% there'is-novdangerof their acoidental lymoving over to portion 135 and; consequently, the filledcontainers-remain on the extended storage area134"untilactuallytransferred to the 11 P0rti011135 perator who "placesthem on the runway or*ramp -135-to oe-depositedomthe elevator in shaft"-135 at proper intervals for lowering to the next lower or third floorof thebuilding.

OnCthe third. floor of the building the :layout

